It's official, y'all! This Spring 2013 New York Fashion Week hath decreed it: warm-weather leather is officially a thing. While it seems impractical given the material's luxurious thickness and the season's sticky humidity, when has that stopped us before? Like, when was the last time any podiatrist cosigned a pair of HEELS? And yet, year-round fashion staple right thurr. *dusts hands off* The recent surge in the use of this fabric versus those more breathable, like, say, cotton, raises a few questions, namely whether it has anything to do with the price of cotton and/or consumers being more willing to spend a premium on leather over other materials. But we can't deny that it also just looks reeeeeally badass. The dudes, I guess, have known that for a while (remember Kanye West's debut Paris Fashion Week show? That makes a LOT more sense now), but this past week has confirmed that the leather (or leather-look!) steez is a definite do in MULTIPLE iterations for the coming spring and summer.
LEATHER DRESSES
Leather on the runways of Jason Wu, Mandy Coon, and Alexander Wang at Spring 2013 New York Fashion Week.
Photo: Getty Images
The easiest way to get away with the leather trend is probably in the form of a leather dress. Our girl Joan Smalls gave it the stamp of approval, wearing a quilted Balmain version for her House of Style co-host announcement, and now we've seen it on the Spring 2013 runways of Jason Wu, Mandy Coon, and Alexander Wang. In dress form, you get the epidermal freedom of an open shoulder, arms that can breath, and depending on the cut, maybe even a little ventilation from an A-line skirt. The Wang version is especially ideal because the cut-outs provide that much more air circulation.
This means we won't get to spot some of our favorite celebs at shows from mere seats away or get to see them mingling with the commoners at presentations. HRMPH. While we're sad to see it end, we have to admit that yesterday's shows were certainly star-studded! 
